


a best friend hug

by hapakitsune



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Babies, Handcuffs, Hangover, M/M, Noodle Incidents, Trope Bingo Round 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2013-09-16
Packaged: 2017-12-26 18:38:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hapakitsune/pseuds/hapakitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sidney looks from Flower's arm to their handcuffs to the little nest on the floor where he assumes Kris slept. There's a giant, empty champagne bottle on the table in front of the couch, he's pretty sure the same glitter that was on Kris's face is also on his jeans, and his head <i><i>still</i> </i>aches.</p><p>"Okay," he says loudly, "I know I'm kind of stating the obvious here, but what the <i>hell</i> happened last night?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	a best friend hug

**Author's Note:**

> Noodle incidents abound. Written for the handcuffed together trope square. Thanks to salvamisandwich for the look-over.

" _Tabarnak_ ," someone swears, far too loudly. Sidney groans and tries to roll over, away from the sound. He's just awake enough to tell that he has a headache, and he'd like very much for that not to be the case. His wrist hurts, too. "Sid." 

"Go away," he mumbles, just as he runs into something very solid and warm. It moves beneath his hands and exhales a slow, deep breath Sidney recognizes instantly. His eyes fly open, and he stares at Geno's pale shoulder and chest.

"I kill you, Max," Geno mumbles without opening his eyes. 

"Not Max. Kris." Kris leans into Sid's field of vision. He looks about as terrible as Sidney feels, his hair tangled unattractively and what looks like glitter smeared underneath his left eye. "Max went for coffee."

"I kill you too," Geno says, finally opening his eyes. He frowns down at Sidney. "Sid? Why we sleep together?"

"Where are we?" Sidney asks Kris, since he doesn't know the answer to that.

"Hotel room," Kris says. "Max's suite."

Sidney sits up, only to feel something pulling at his wrist. "Geno?"

"What?" Geno grumbles, shading his eyes against the sunlight streaming in through the window. 

Sidney scoots a little away from Geno and looks down at his right wrist. A shiny silver handcuff is wrapped around it, just loose enough that there isn't any pressure on his bones, but tight enough that any movement rubs it against him. The other end is fastened around Geno's left wrist. "Um."

"Holy shit," Kris says. 

"What?" Geno asks again, sounding alarmed. He sits up, looks down, stares at the handcuffs for half a minute, and then says, "I will kill Max."

"Why are we handcuffed together?" Sidney demands, louder than he means too, and all three of them wince. From the floor comes a dull groan and a thud. "What was that?"

"Flower, I think." Kris looks over his shoulder. "Yes, Flower."

" _ _Je vous deteste__ ," mumbles the Flower-shaped lump on the floor.

"Yes, me too," says Kris. He rubs his face. "I will take a shower. Then, we will find Max and get the key."

"Your wedding!" Sidney says belatedly. "That's today!"

Kris rolls his eyes and pats Sidney's shoulder. "Yes, very good."

Geno snorts and lies back down. He tugs at Sidney's wrist and says, "Go back to sleep, Sid."

Sidney tries to glare at him, which is ruined by his giant yawn. "Aren't you wondering what happened last night?"

"Remember later," Geno mumbles, already half-asleep. "Sleep now."

Sidney has to admit that it sounds like a good plan. Geno tugs on his wrist again, and Sidney gives in, lying back down so he's facing Geno, their handcuffed wrists between them. The sun is bright and warm against his face, simultaneously irritating and soothing. Sidney closes his eyes and tucks his head against Geno's shoulder to get some shade, and falls asleep between the space of two breaths. 

Of course, Max being Max, they are awakened by him cooing, "Aww, what a sweet couple!"

Sidney opens his eyes to narrow slits and glares at him. "Go away."

"I have coffee," Max singsongs, wafting a Tim Hortons cup beneath Sidney's nose. Sidney sits up so fast that he accidentally yanks on the handcuffs, waking Geno.

"Fuck," Geno says, sitting up too. "That _hurt_."

"Sorry," Sidney says guiltily, grabbing for the coffee with his left hand. He gulps it gratefully slumping forward. "What time is it?"

"A little before eleven." Max slurps at his own coffee before passing the last cup to Geno. "Kris went to fix something wtih the wedding."

"What about Flower?" Sidney asks.

"Flower wants to sleep more," Flower says from the floor.

"You should move to the couch at least," Max says over his shoulder.

"I remember what happened on that couch last night," Flower says darkly. 

Sidney and Geno exchange looks. "So," Sidney says cautiously. "Speaking of last night."

Max's smile, impossibly, grows even more devious. "Yes?" he asks, drawing out the word.

"Do you happen to remember why we're handcuffed together?" Sidney asks, raising his wrist.

Max chokes on his coffee and hastily sets down his cup as he hacks all over the sheets. Sidney makes a face and tries to scoot away from him. "Oh my god," Max says when he regains the ability to breathe. "Those are the _stripper's_ handcuffs."

"Stripper?" Sidney asks blankly, but he thinks he remembers what Max is talking about – they did go to a strip club on Max's insistence, all of them trying very hard not to touch anything as they did, Max eventually paying for a private dance from a long-legged girl in a cop uniform while Kris protested he is a father, Max, this is inappropriate.

"We steal her handcuffs?" Geno asks. "Maybe she have key, then!"

"I don't remember," Max admits. "I thought you were going to ask about the spin the bottle thing."

"What?" Sidney and Geno ask in unison.

"Oh, nothing," Max says airily. "No harm, no foul."

" _Max_ ," growls Geno.

"It's no big deal, you made out a little, whatever," Max says, hopping off the bed and grabbing his coffee. "Come on, make yourselves presentable. We have a stripper to find."

"Max!" Geno yells, trying to lunge off the bed after him, only to be held up by the handcuffs and Sidney's yelp of pain. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Sidney says, rubbing at his wrist and wincing. "Just – don't do that again."

Geno grins sheepishly at him and picks up his coffee. He's adorably sleep-rumpled, hair mussed and a sheet crease across his cheek. "I forget. Sorry, Sid."

"I told you it's okay." Sidney gently touches his coffee cup to Geno's. "Cheers."

They drink their coffee together in silence, Sidney feeling slightly awkward with his left hand. He is beginning to feel more awake by the time he finishes his coffee, but he doesn't think about how he's going to change clothes until the two of them have managed to stand up and stumble towards the bathroom.

"Oh," says Sidney dumbly, plucking at the sleeve of his shirt. "We can't change."

"Can change pants," Geno offers. He wrinkles his nose. "Better than nothing."

"Do you think we can shower?" Sidney asks.

"Maybe." Geno lifts his free arm and sniffs. "Should shower."

"Well," Sidney says, eying the shower-bath, "I'll go first and – stick my arm out, I guess. Don't look," he adds as he starts to undo his trousers.

"I see all the time," Geno points out. "Nothing special." Still, he covers his eyes with his hand while Sidney shimmies out of his clothes, unbuttoning his shirt and shoving it down towards their joined wrists. 

The water is shockingly cold at first, and Sidney yelps, squirming back from the spray until it warms up. Geno laughs at him and Sidney calls, "Fuck you, Geno," before reaching for the washcloth. 

It's difficult to shower with only one hand, and Kris had predictably used quite a lot of the shampoo, but Sidney feels reasonably clean as he shuts off the shower and takes the towel Geno hands him through the gap in the curtain. 

"Thanks," he says when he emerges, towel around his waist. Geno nods and holds out his arm so Sidney can reclaim his shirt. Once Sidney is finished getting dressed, Geno unbuttons his shirt and says, "My turn."

Sidney dutifully starts to turn away, but as he does, he catches sight of a nasty-looking bruise in the hollow of Geno's shoulder. "Geno!"

"What?" Geno looks down. "Oh. Hmm." He pokes at it curiously and hisses. "Don't remember where this is from."

"Looks bad," Sidney says, coming closer to look at it. "We should put ice on it."

"Later," says Geno, shoving his shirt down. "Shower first."

So Sidney stands outside the while Geno showers, humming off-key and occasionally singing snatches of melody. Sidney leans against the wall, arm stretched out, and studies the handcuffs. They seem pretty sturdy, not toys, and they're heavy against his wrist. He experimentally tugs at it to test the chain.

"Hey!" Geno says, sticking his head out. His hair is soapy and sticking up ridiculously in all directions. "I let you shower."

"Sorry," Sidney says guiltily. "Just testing the cuffs."

Geno narrows his eyes at Sidney and ducks back inside. "Well, stop."

"Sorry," Sidney says again. He closes his eyes and leans against the wall. "Hurry up."

"I hurry, I hurry," Geno grumbles. He emerges a few minutes later, the curtain pulled up to his hips. "Can I have towel?"

"Oh, right." Sidney reaches out and snatches one off the towel rack. "Here."

Geno wraps it around his waist and comes out, mouth open slightly. His cheeks are flushed from the heat of the shower, his hair sticking damply to his forehead; he looks five years younger. He smiles at Sidney. "Much better."

Sidney stares at him. He is suddenly acutely aware of the slight roughness of the skin around Geno's mouth, the bow of his lips, and he isn't able to stop himself from blurting out, "Do you remember kissing last night?"

Geno's brows draw together. "You mean like Max say?"

Sidney nods. He isn't sure he does, or if he's just imagining them fumbling their way towards each other, laughing and trying to fit their mouths together. He licks his lips, as though he could taste evidence of their kiss, and flushes when Geno's eyes drop to his mouth.

"I don't know," Geno says, sounding regretful. "Sure it was a good kiss, though."

Sidney snorts and turns away so Geno can get dressed. "How do you know?"

"How I know? It's me!" Geno sounds offended, and Sidney grins to himself. "I best kisser, everyone say so."

"If you really are the best, I'd remember," Sidney says, and Geno hits him between the ribs.

Once they're both more or less decent, Sidney leads the way back out into the living room of the suite to wait for Max to show back up. Flower has finally sat up, the sofa blanket draped around his shoulders as he rubs at his eyes sleepily. 

"God," he moans. "I should have listened to Véro. Nothing good comes of Max."

Geno laughs. "Never," he agrees. "Remember Miami?"

Sidney looks around the room while Geno and Flower complain about Max, frowning. He knows they're missing something, aside from most of their memories of the night before, but he can't quite put his finger on it until Geno says something about Max being lazy.

"Hey," he says, turning to look at them. "Didn't we have Paulie and Nealer with us last night?"

Flower's eyes widen in horror. "We did," he says slowly. 

Geno and Sidney exchange looks. Geno's mouth twists as though he's torn between laughter and worry. "Can't be too far," Geno says optimistically. "Maybe in their own room?"

"Maybe." Sidney watches as Flower sheds his blanket and stands up, scratching at his head. "Flower, there's something on your arm."

"Huh?" Flower looks down and holds out his arm. Written in sloppy block letters is, __PLEASE RETURN TO HILTON CALL 514-379-9811 FOR HELP__. "Oh." Flower licks his thumb and rubs at the edge of the first _p_. "Whose number is this?"

"Could try to call," Geno suggests. 

Sidney looks from Flower's arm to their handcuffs to the little nest on the floor where he assumes Kris slept. There's a giant, empty champagne bottle on the table in front of the couch, he's pretty sure the same glitter that was on Kris's face is also on his jeans, and his head __still_ _ aches.

"Okay," he says loudly, "I know I'm kind of stating the obvious here, but what the _hell_ happened last night?"

 

Max returns a few minutes later to Sidney sitting with his head in one hand, the other stretched out so Geno can pace as he calls the number on Flower's arm. Flower has disappeared to have a shower, muttering that he's probably late for all the pre-wedding stuff he's supposed to be doing as Kris's best man. Max holds up his hand for a high-five, then frowns when he sees their faces. 

"What?" he asks, lowering his hand. 

"So many things, Max," Sidney says into his hand.

"Thanks," Geno says into the phone and he hangs up. "Ok," he says, tucking his phone into his pocket. "Phone number for a bar. They say we come there last night, just us and Kris. No Paulie or Nealer, we already have handcuffs on."

"I told you the handcuffs were from the stripper," Max says, looking offended. "You don't believe me?"

"Oh, we believe you," Sidney says. "But how do you suggest we __find_ _ her? Do you remember her name?"

"No," Max says. "But I do have her club's business card." He produces it and waves it enticingly. "Ready to go do some investigating?"

Sidney takes the card and huddles over it with Geno, their handcuffed wrists bumping together. It's red, with gold script reading _Chez Parée_ , and a number and address beneath. "Okay," Sidney says. "Do we call?"

"Oh, come on," Max says, grabbing them and trying to haul them upright. He fails miserably and instead just drops his hands to his side. "Where's your spirit of adventure? Besides, we need to get that key."

"We need to find Lazy," Geno says. 

"I need to call my agent," Sidney mutters.

The strip club is right near the Bell Centre, which explains some of the rumors Sidney has heard about the Montreal front office's rookie policies. It doesn't seem to be technically open, but Max talks with the guy at the door for a few minutes before waving at them and saying, "The manager's in, come on."

"You!" the manager says when they walk into her office. Sidney freezes, resisting the urge to dive out of her sight, then yelps when Geno accidentally drags him forward a few steps. "I have been trying to reach you all morning."

"I, uh, can explain?" Max says, eyes widening.

"Explain?" The manager stares at him. "Explain what? You left something here, and I could not reach you. Normally I would leave it in lost and found but you paid well and these seem expensive."

"Expensive?" Sidney asks. The manager rolls her eyes and turns around to open her safe.

"And your bachelor would not want to get married without them, I think," she says dryly. She turns back around with two jewelry boxes in her hands. "Here."

"The __wedding rings__ ," they all say in unison, Max sounding amused, Geno relieved, and Sidney horrified.

"I'll call Kris," Sidney volunteers, and he tugs Geno along to the corridor so he can tell Kris the good news.

Geno is smiling at him when he hangs up. Sidney pulls a face."What?"

"You look so mad," he says, reaching out to tug at one of Sidney's errant curls, his hair having dried haphazardly without Sidney's usual gel routine. "Like when Giroux beat you at face off."

Sidney presses his mouth in a line, and Geno laughs. "Like that," he says, poking at Sidney's cheek.

"Stop poking me," Sidney says, batting him away. Geno pokes him again, right in the nose this time, and Sidney tries to push him only to remember too late that they're _handcuffed together_. He falls heavily into Geno and groans when Geno starts laughing again, chest shaking against his cheek.

"Okay you two, stop flirting," Max says from behind him. "Or continue, but let me get my camera out first."

"Fuck you, Max," Geno says cheerfully. "What you find?"

"The stripper's name is Régine, but actually it's Margot and she took us to a club after Kris told her he didn't want a dance." Max beams. "Beautiful Claire – the manager," he adds when Sidney stares at him in confusion, "happens to know where we went."

"She can't give us Margot's number?" Sidney asks. 

"She did," Max says, "but she also says we still had Paulie and Nealer with us when we were here, so I thought maybe we should try to find them."

"I try calling them," Geno volunteers. "Maybe they pick up."

Except Paulie and Nealer don't pick up. Geno frowns, looking actually worried now, and Sidney glances over at Max before carefully twining their hands together and squeezing Geno's fingers briefly. Geno flashes him a grateful smile and squeezes back. Sidney tries not to think about how much he's touched Geno today, more than he ever has before, really, and how he'd really like to do it some more. 

"Hello, Régine?" Max says on Sidney's other side, leaning against the window of their cab. "Sorry, Margot."

"Max!" trills the woman on the other end, loud enough that Sidney can hear. "Ahh, how is your head, my dear?"

Max glances at Sidney, half-grinning. "Oh, it's been better," he says, voice dropping to a low flirtatious tone. "Here's the thing – we have a bit of a situation and thought you might be able to help us out. We're headed to –" Sidney holds out his phone with the address of the bar and Max reads it out. "Can you meet us there?"

Sidney can't hear Margot's answer, but he does hear Max's deep chuckle and murmured promises of, oh, of _course_ he'll be glad to see her. Sidney kicks his ankle, narrowing his eyes when Max glares at him.

"Flirt some other time," Sidney hisses.

"You're right, we're going to see her soon," Max says, which is not what Sidney meant at all. "Thanks, Margot, we'll see you soon!"

Geno leans his head on Sidney's, sighing heavily. "He talk so loud," he rumbles. His pinky is rubbing against Sidney's hand in small circles, distractingly light and gentle. Sidney sighs and relaxes into Geno's shoulder. His headache has receded slightly, but he would like very much to drink some water and probably some aspirin before they meet Margot, if only so he doesn't throw up on her. 

"He's your friend," Sidney says. 

"No," Geno says. "Not fair, Sid, he's your friend too."

"Not right now he isn't," Sidney says, "and not just because he plays for Philly."

Geno laughs, pinky hooking over Sidney's. Sidney can't help looking down, cataloguing the differences between their hands – Geno's long and huge, even compared to Sidney's, Sidney's slightly tanned from spending time outside in Halifax – and is tempted to press their palms together again, just to feel the warm, slightly roughened skin. 

Before he can work up the nerve, their car slows to a stop, and Max hops out to talk to the driver. Sidney takes a moment to drink in the fresh quiet before gesturing Geno to lead the way outside. He immediately wishes he had sunglasses; the sun has come out in full force, and his eyes are watering like he's been deprive of light for years. 

"Aw," Geno says. Sidney feels more than sees Geno lean in. "Eyes hurt?" He rubs an index finger over Sidney's cheekbone, wiping away the dampness. 

"Yeah," Sidney says, blinking furiously. "Let's get inside."

"Okay." Geno links their cuffed hands. "I check so you don't fall."

Sidney makes it inside without tripping too much, though there's a near miss with the step into the bar. His eyes quickly adjust to the dim lighting, and he looks around before spotting a strikingly pretty woman with thick dark hair and long, bright blue nails. She sees them and waves cheerfully. 

"Hello, boys!" she calls. "You don't look nearly as terrible as I thought you would."

Geno smiles at her. "Hi," he says, sounding a little shy. 

Margot's smile fades slightly. "Oh," she says. "Well, I suppose you _were_ quite drunk by the time we met."

"Yes, probably," Sidney says wryly, lifting his and Geno's wrists to show her the handcuffs. 

"Oh, _that's_ where those went!" Margot exclaims. "I was wondering."

"So do you have the key?" asks Sidney impatiently, jingling the chain to get his point across. Geno kicks him. 

"No," Margot says. "My boyfriend has it, I think."

"Your boyfriend?" Max asks, sounding extremely disappointed. 

"Well, you know." Margot shrugs and smirks. "Handcuffs come in useful."

Sidney wrinkles his nose, and Geno starts coughing, cheeks going red. Margot smiles and flicks her hair back over her shoulder. "Oh, grow up," she says airily. "I _wash_ them before bringing them in to work."

"Do you know _why_ we're handcuffed together?" Sidney asks, which is the real point he wants clarified. 

"Oh, I don't know," Margot says airily. "Your funny-haired friend, the one who looked surprised all the time, he asked for them."

"Nealer," Sidney says at the same time as Geno says, " _Nealsy_."

"We lost them _well_ before the third bar," Margot adds. "I don't know where they went."

"Them?" Sidney prompts when it seems that Max is just going to pout and Geno is at a loss for words. 

"Yes, him and the redhead." Margot gestures at the top of her head for emphasis. "They were giggling a lot."

"Shit," says Sidney. "And you don't have the key."

"Sorry." Margot shrugs. "My boyfriend would have it, but he's working and I don't know if he knows where in his apartment it is."

"Thank you," Sidney says politely, even though he privately thinks it's been nothing more than a colossal waste of time. "Could you tell us the name of the last bar we were at?"

"Oh, sure," says Margot. "I can give you all of them." She leans across the table and holds out her hand, and for a moment, Sidney feels a profound sense of déjà vu. He tastes waxy lipstick on the back of his teeth, as though he'd accidentally licked it away, and he flinches back. 

"Did we kiss last night?" he asks, panicked. 

"What?" Margot asks, head jerking up. "No!"

Sidney has only a moment to be relieved before she adds, "But you did kiss an awful lot of other people. Max's fault."

Max grins at Sidney. "You're welcome."

"I've _told_ you I don't need your help," Sidney complains. "I do _fine._ "

"Apparently there were a lot of other people last night and you still ended up handcuffed to G, Sid, of course you need my help."

"I _like_ Geno," Sidney protests. Geno grins at him, and he flushes. "You know what I mean."

"They were nice girls," Margot says meditatively. "I do hope she really ended up get married."

"Oh, man, we crashed a _bachelorette_ party and I don't remember it?" Max turns his face heavenward. "Why?" he implores the ceiling. 

"It's okay," Margot says. "They mostly wanted to kiss Sidney anyway. And they were happy to see Sid and Geno kiss, Max, so I wouldn't judge if I were you."

Sidney goes red and tries to hide behind Geno, but has to settle for tucking his head in towards Geno's chest. Geno pats his head absently. "Yes," he says serenely. "Sid is very pretty."

"Ugh, whatever," groans Max. "Let's get out of here."

 

It takes them three tries, but they find the bar they left Paul and James at. It's much the worse for wear, a couple of young, gossiping employees still cleaning up broken glass and dirt from the night before. When they're brought into the office, the owner glares at them fiercely, crossing his tattooed forearms, and says, "I tried to send them home but they couldn't remember their hotel."

"So where are they, then?" Sidney asks. 

"They offered me some money if they could crash in the back room," he says, stumping towards the back with a glower of ill will. "Haven't woken up yet, as far as I know."

He throws the door open and there, sprawled on the couch and tangled up in each other's arms, are James and Paul. Max cackles loudly and shouts, "Morning, boys!"

James jerks awake, falling off the couch and yelping when he lands on his ass. Paul groans and throws an arm over his arm. "Fuck off, Max."

"You two looked awful cozy, I hope we're not interrupting anything," says Max, bending over to smack Paul's thigh. "I'd hate to think I ruined your loving embrace."

"Seriously, fuck off," Paul says. "I thought when you left for Philadelphia I wouldn't have to put up with you anymore."

"That hurts, Paulie, it really does." Max hits Paul again. "Seriously, though, get up. You have a wedding to get to."

"No," says James, rolling his eyes. "We couldn't file the paperwork because we were 'too drunk.'" He makes air quotes over his head. "And we didn't have our birth certificates." He frowns up at Geno and Sidney. "Why are you handcuffed together?"

"Geno kept wandering off, remember?" Paul drags himself up right and rubs his face. "Max took whatsherface's handcuffs and attached him to Sid."

"Right!" James laughs, high and awkward. "That was funny."

"Nealsy, you try to get _married_ last night?" Geno asks. "To Paulie?"

"Don't judge, man," says James. "If you can play, you can play."

"Don't care about that," Geno says. "I just think Paulie, you can do better."

"Fuck you, I'm a catch." James claws himself upright and slumps over his knees. "Maybe not right now."

"Ugh, just get up," says Sidney. "We have to get going." 

"And you need a shower, Lazy," Geno says, leaning down to give James a hand up and dragging Sidney forward a few inches. "You smell."

"Thanks, G." James sways a little on his feet, blinking owlishly at him. "God, my back hurts."

"You slept on top of Paulie all night, you're lucky you aren't in traction," Sidney mutters. "Come _on_."

It takes some more hitting from Max, but they manage to get Paul and James out the door and into the car. Sidney is squashed in between Geno and Paul, who is rubbing his eyes and bitching about his dry contacts. Upfront, Max is persuading the driver to let him and James squeeze in the front seat together before offering him a double tip. 

"We have a wedding to get to!" he says excitedly, way too loudly for the cab. 

They all split up once they get to the hotel, James and Paul tripping up to their room, Max going to find Flower to give him the ring. Sidney and Geno stand in the lobby for a minute before Sidney finally says, "I need to go to my room."

"Okay," Geno says. "We go to your room first, then mine."

"Deal." Sidney starts to tug Geno towards the elevator, then remembers they're in a public space and instead opts for an awkward shuffle that keeps their handcuffed wrists mostly out of sight. If they want to do things like get dressed for the wedding, he reflects, they're going to have to find a way out of them. He doesn't think there's a feasible way of getting formal wear on otherwise. 

Sidney hasn't done much with his room other than take his suit out and hang it, but he wants to check and make sure he has everything after the night – and morning – they've had. Geno follows him around like a giant, Russian shadow, watching him without saying a word. Eventually, after Sidney has taken care of the encroaching scruff, he says, "Paul and Nealsy."

"Ha, yeah. Do you think they really tried to get married last night?" asks Sidney, turning to look at him. "Didn't they know it was complicated after all the complaining Kris and Flower did about Quebec laws?"

"They never say they together," says Geno. "Are they together?" 

Sidney shrugs. "Who knows? Not really my business."

"Hmm." Geno reaches out with his free hand and turns Sidney's face. "Miss a spot. Here." He picks up Sidney's razor and carefully drags it down the far side of his jaw, the part it was hard to get thanks to the handcuffs. "There. Very pretty. No wonder all the girls want to kiss you."

"You did too," Sidney says. "Or you – you kissed me. Apparently."

"Yeah," Geno says. He smiles, very faintly. "Still want."

It takes Sidney a moment to realize what Geno means. Then his head jerks up. "Geno?"

"Okay?" Geno asks hesitantly, gaze dropping away. 

"Yes," Sidney says, quiet, heat spreading down his cheeks and neck. "Yes, that's – that's okay."

Geno licks his lips, smile widening, before he leans in slowly, backing Sidney against the sink and pressing his mouth to Sidney's. Sidney sighs and uses the counter as leverage to push up into him. He tries to lift his arm around Geno's neck, remembers the cuffs too late when Geno makes a noise of protest. There's a moment where they can't quite figure out what to do with their hands, and then Geno presses his hand down to the counter. Sidney wraps his other arm around Geno's neck, and tugs him back in.

The kiss, which had started chaste, takes a turn when Geno groans and wraps his own free arm around Sidney's waist, pulling his hips up before just going the whole way and urging Sidney up onto the edge of the sink. 

"This might not be the best place," Sidney says against Geno's mouth. 

"If we move, you might change your mind," Geno says heavily. He rubs his nose along the side of Sidney's and leans their foreheads together. "Don't want you to change mind."

"I won't change my mind," says Sidney.

"Promise?" Geno slips his hand underneath the hem of Sidney's shirt, rubbing at the small of his back. "I think about this all morning."

"Yeah?"

"We wake up together," Geno says. "Then Max say we kiss and I think – drunk Geno is braver than me."

"Or dumber," Sidney suggests. 

"That too," Geno agrees. "But mostly braver." He tangles the fingers of their handcuffed hands together and leans in to kiss Sidney again. Sidney tightens his arm around his neck, losing himself in it, in the taste and smell of Geno, the wide spread of his hand across his back. 

Sometime later – Sidney isn't exactly sure how much later – someone knocks at the door and calls, "Sid?"

Geno, who had been moving his hand to Sidney's zipper, groans into Sidney's mouth, but steps back. Sidney has to swallow a couple of times before he calls back, "Yeah?"

"It's me," says Flower. "I need a favor."

Sidney looks up at Geno imploringly. Geno shrugs and helps him off the sink before following him to the door. Flower eyes them with narrowed, suspicious eyes, but doesn't say anything about their probably hideously rumpled appearance. Instead, he holds out Estelle, who is decked out in the cutest fluffy white and blue dress Sidney has ever seen. 

"Oh," he says, immediately reaching for her and dragging Geno's arm with him. Geno slides forward as Flower settles Estelle neatly against Sidney's shoulder. Sidney adjusts so he's holding her against his hip with one arm and Geno's hand isn't awkwardly hovering there. Estelle squirms a little, then begins gnawing on Sidney's shirt toothlessly, looking around with wide, dark eyes. "Hey, Stella."

"I need you two to watch her for like half an hour," Flower says. "I know it isn't ideal, with the –" He shakes his wrist. "But Kris and Véro and Catherine are busy and I can't ask _Max_ and Paul and James are not answering their door –"

"We're more than happy to," Sidney says, jiggling Estelle a little. "Take your time."

Flower hesitates. "You can't _keep_ her."

"I know!" Sidney says defensively. Geno snorts and carefully strokes one long finger down the back of Estelle's head, twirling one of her darkening curls. "It was _one time_ –"

"You were halfway across the rink before Duper knew what happened," Flower says. 

"I thought he was right behind me!" Sidney hisses. 

"Sid gave her back," Geno says. "And he can't go far." He points at the handcuffs. 

"Yeah," agrees Flower, though he's still looking suspicious. "Just – stay here."

"Your trust in me is very flattering," Sidney says dryly, and Flower shrugs before giving Estelle a kiss on the head, murmuring something to her in French, and heading out the door. Sidney stands still while Estelle watches the empty door, and then she starts to cry. 

"Oh no," Sidney says, turning towards Geno. "Don't cry, Stella, look, it's Geno!" He bounces her lightly and turns her so she can see Geno more clearly, . He pulls a face, sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes, and Sidney starts giggling, horrified. 

"That's how you cheer her up?" he asks. 

"Works," Geno says, and Estelle does seem to be crying less urgently, waving her hands up towards Geno. "Give her to me."

Sidney chews his lip, then lets Geno cradle her against his chest. His hand ends up on her back alongside Geno's, their fingers slightly overlapping over the big sash around her waist. She looks very tiny in Geno's arms, small and fragile and utterly precious. Sidney leans into Geno so he can look at her face and smiles when he sees that she's back to chewing on Geno's shirt. "Look at her."

"Looks like Véro," says Geno. "Lucky." He grins at Sidney and kisses him lightly. "Come, easier if we sit on bed with her." 

Sidney lets Geno arrange them on the bed, propped up against the pillows so Estelle can sleep on their chests if she wants to, and then he starts channel surfing, barely spending half a second on each channel. Estelle crawls over Sidney's leg and up to his stomach, peering up at him curiously. He hoists her up and she drools into his shoulder as she blinks drowsily. 

"Tired?" Sidney asks her. He kisses her head and looks up at the TV. "Oh, History Channel."

"I need you to explain some," Geno says, but he leaves it, settling back against the pillows and hooking his fingers over Sidney's. Sidney knows Geno's exaggerating; he isn't as interested in history as Sidney is, but he's perfectly capable of understanding what they're saying and often has interesting thoughts from what he remembers from the classes he was able to attend in Russia. 

Estelle falls fully asleep less than five minutes later. Geno takes to opportunity to squeeze in closer to Sidney, pressing their shoulders up together and resting his head on Sidney's. Sidney takes a breath and turns his hand up so Geno can link their hands together. 

"This is nice," he says. 

"And no Max to tease," says Geno, beaming down at him. He kisses Sidney again, long and lingering, then settles back. "Okay, watching."

They've finished the documentary on WWII fighter pilots and have moved onto one about the history of diamond mining when Flower comes back, this time with Véro in tow. She takes Estelle from him with a whispered thanks – Sidney has to force himself not to reach out for her – and then hands him off to her husband. 

"I hear you are handcuffed together," she says, smirking slightly. 

"Yes," Sidney says, pulling up their hands as evidence. "Get the laughing out now."

"I have already laughed," she says serenely. "No, I can help." She pulls a bobby pin out from her hair. "This might take a while."

"How do you know how to do this?" Sidney asks in astonishment as she sits on the bed and goes to work. 

"It is a useful skill," she says. Flower grins at Sidney. 

"My wife is the best," he tells him. 

"Yes, yes," says Véro. "Now shh, I need to concentrate."

It takes her about five minutes to pop the mechanism, and then she's sliding the metal bracelets from their wrists with triumphant exclamation. Sidney flexes his wrist, rubs his fingers over the newly bare skin. "Thank you."

"No problem." She pats his shin. "You need to dress for the wedding. So keep – well. You have lots of time after the wedding." She slips off the bed and herds Flower from the room, switching to rapid fire French. 

Sidney frowns after her and decides not to parse her words, if only for his own comfort of mind. "Well," he says, looking back at Geno. 

Geno tests the handcuffs curiously. "Should we keep?"

"What? Why?"

"They get us together," Geno says. He shifts to straddle Sidney's hips, beaming. "Happy they're gone, but like them when they're on."

"Mm." Sidney tilts his head up. "We're already running late, you know."

"No handcuffs mean I can take shirt off," Geno says, and he does. 

 

They're late to the wedding.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic of] a best friend hug](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1760155) by [exmanhater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/exmanhater/pseuds/exmanhater)




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